Nicholas babe



' N. BARR.

No. 277,828. Patented Ma 15,1883.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS BARR, OF CAYUTA, NEV YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,828, dated May 15, 18183.

, Application filed February 21, 1883. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS BARR, of Gaynta, in the county of Schuyler and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in. the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class known to the art as car-couplings, and has for its object the ready and safe coupling of cars, by which the cars are coupled together automatically either from a plane below the draw-head or above it, or from the inside thereof, and to hold the coupling-pin in such position that it is always ready to be coupled by the uncoupling action of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to construct the draw-head in such manner as to cause the coupling-links of cars of irregular heights to readily enter'the draw-head of the adjacent car, and when in position to hold at the desired plane without strain to the link.

To these ends my invention consists in providing the coupling-pin with raising devices located at a point near its middle, so that when it is desired to raise the pin either from a point below the plane of the draw-head or above it, it may readily be done by pulling the chain or Wirerope, as shown in the drawings.

It further consists in constructing what I term the mouth of the draw-head in such manner that cars of irregular heights may be readily coupled together-z". 0., by extending the lower lip ot'the mouth of the draw-head sufficiently down as to cause thelink to come in contact with it, and curving the said lip in such manner as to guide the link to the mouth, when the upper side of the link comes in contactwith the upper lip of the draw-head,which is also curved in such manner that it guides the link into the mouth of the draw-head, the lower lip forming a fulcrum or hearing when the link is in contact with the upper lip, so that while the link is sliding in, its other or free end is automatically raised and held in this position without intermediate mechanism, the inner portion of the mouth of the drawhead being of such contour as to permit the link to readily yield to any up-and-dlown or side movement of the cars when in motion or turning curves, and'in other details of construction, as will be hereinafter described.

Ret'errin g more particularly to the accompan yin g drawings, Figure 1. represents avertical transverse section of my coupler, showing the linkin position and the pin inserted,the draw head being provided with an anti-friction roller, over which the draw-chain passes. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section with the tripping device in position'and provided with the groove for inserting the tripping device, the bottom of which forms journal-bearings in which it works; Fig. 3, a vertical section, showingthe pin in position for coupling. Fig. 4 shows an elevation with the coupling-pinin dotted lines and also the raising device and upwardly-projecting lip :in the bolt-head,through which the Fig- 5 is an elevation of the chain is drawn. bolt detached; Fig. 6, a detached view of the tripping device; and Fig.7,a top view of draw head, showing link-pin hole.

The same letters denote like parts in allthe figures.

' A is the draw-head of a car, and B its mouth, having what I term Iips -G the lower lip, and D the upper lip. Thelip 0 extends downwardly, and is so curved that when the link E strikes it, it' is guided up to the month until it comes in contact with the upper lip, D, which guides it back into the rear cavity, F, the link in the meanwhile resting upon the high curving point a of the lower lip. Thus, while the link is sliding into the mouth the inner end of the linkis depressed. The point a of the lower lip, forming a bearing, causes the free end to be elevated to the required position for coupling the cars without the interposition ofintermediate mechanism. The cavity F is so formed that the link holds its relative position to correspond with the varyingheights of the draw-heads of the next adjacent cars, and will yield to their position without; bending or straining the link. The upper portion of the draw-head, as seen at G, is higher than the ordinary kind, and is provided with slots or grooves b b for the insertion of the tripping device H. The groove 1) is provided atits top with a stop-piece, e, for preventing the entire withdrawal of the bolt when drawn up, and

the groove b is open at its top for the pinraising chain or rope to pass out under the hood-like projection d on the top of the bolt. These grooves also serve for guides for the lugs of on the link-bolt. The bottom of slots or grooves 11 1; form journal-bearings for the tripping device H, which is provided with journals ortrunnions g h. The trippingdevice H hangs "ertically by gravity, and is provided with a recess in its center, so that when the bolt is raised the device H falls into and holds the bolt in an elevated position. then the link is inserted the device H flies back into a recess in the cavity F in such manner that it forms a part of the roof of said cavity, it being curved to correspond to the corner thereof. a

'i is an anti-friction roller, which may be inserted in the stop on top of the draw-head; but

- simply rounding the shoulder will be found suftieient for all practical purposes.

I am aware it is not new to automatically couple cars and to suspend the link-bolt which will drop upon the insertion of the link, and that flaring months are not new; but lam not aware that the tripping device was ever inserted and suspended like mine, and so located that it forms a part of the roof or crown of the rear cavity, and a guide for the entering pin nor am I aware that the mouth of a draw-head having lips formed like mine and designed to perform the same functions that mine does has heretofore been used.

. top of the draw-bead into the slots I) I).

When the parts are put together for operation the tripping device is inserted from the The link-bolt is then inserted, first fastening the draw-chain j to the eye-lug e. The piece 0 is then secured, when the coupler is ready for use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car-coupling consisting of the drawhead having link-pin hole whichis provided with the vertical slots, the bottom of which forms journal-bearings for and in combination with the tripping device, and with the linkpin having a stop,f, arranged to come in con-.

tact with stop 6, located in the top of one said slots, as described, whereby the link-pin is prevented from being drawn out.

2. A draw-head for car-couplers, provided with a link-pin hole having vertical slots b b, the bottom of which forms journal-bearings for a tripping device, and the top of one of them a stop, the slots or grooves also forming guides for and in combination-with the link bolt or pin, provided with stop fand eyebolt c, and the lifting rope or chain j, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the draw-head of i a car-coupler, provided with link-pin hole and retaining device, the sides of said hole being provided guide-slots, and a slot for the lifting rope or chain, of the link-pin having a stop, an eyebolt, and a hooded aperture formed in its head, whereby the chain avoids friction in its withdrawal, substantially as described.

4. A car-coupling having the tripping device, the coupling-pin adapted to rest upon said device, and provided with a retaininglng, in combination with the draw-head provided with the lower curved lip, its rear cavity having a curved roof, and with the couplinglink relatively arranged to the two draw-heads in such a manner'that when the link is brought in contact with the lower lip of the,uncoupled draw-head it is pushed into the coupled drawhead, by which the disengaged end is auto matically coupled by means of the said tripping device, as set forth.

5. The combination, in a car-coupling consisting of the draw-heads provided with the lips curved as described, and having the rear curved cavity, as shown, in'combination with the link-pin having the eyebolt and uncoupling-chain, said draw-heads having an upper extension for forming a fulcrum for the chain by which the pin is raised, substantially as setforth.

In testimdny that Iclaim the foregoing as my 

